ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 12 nationally ranked University of Northwestern Volleyball took on both the Grinnell College Pioneers and Hamline University Pipers on Saturday afternoon. Hamline hosted both matches, with the Eagles earning a 3-1 win over the Pioneers and a 3-0 sweep of the Pipers. Against Grinnell, Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) surpassed 2,000 career digs to become just the fourth Eagle in program history to do so.
 
Match One: Grinnell
 
UNW battled Grinnell in the opening match of the day. After the Pioneers scored to cut their deficit to six points at 16-10, the Eagles went on an incredible nine-point run to win the opening set 25-10.
 
The second set was similarly controlled by UNW, though Grinnell had more success. Nonetheless, UNW took set two 25-15 to go up two sets to none.
 
In the third, the Pioneers managed to do what no other team had yet done this season against the Eagles: win a set. Grinnell broke UNW's 14-set winning streak with a hard-earned 26-24 win in the third set.
 
Northwestern settled back in in the fourth set as the Eagles used runs of five, four, and three of three to cruise to a 25-16 set win to clinch the match 3-1.
 
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) led the Eagles with 18 kills on .429 hitting. Schroyer's 2,000 dig achievement was reached with a 30 dig match for UNW. Hannah Gadient (Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue) and Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) combined for 49 assists, recording 25 and 24 respectively. Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) led Northwestern's defensive front with eight total blocks and nine kills on .412 hitting.
 
Match Two: Hamline
 
After defeating the Pioneers, the Eagles returned to the court to take on the Pipers. Up 13-10 in the first set, UNW rattled off six in a row to go up 19-10 en route to a 25-13 set win.
 
In the second, the Eagles won nine of the first 11 points and seven of the final eight in a dominant 25-11 set win to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The third set was the closest of the match. Leading 10-9, the Eagles scored thrice in a row to earn some breathing room. UNW worked to an 18-13 lead, but them Hamline won three points to get back within two of the Eagles at 18-16. Northwestern responded by winning the next four points to go up 22-16 and proceeded earn a 25-18 victory, clinching the match with their fifth 3-0 sweep of the season.
 
Aune led the Eagles with 10 kills on .529 hitting and three total blocks. Kate Rogers (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) had a team-high eight digs in the match. Gadient and Strickfaden combine for 34 assists with 17 each. Aune and Strickfaden each had three service aces.
 
Up Next
 
Up next for No. 12 Northwestern is a return home for two matches on Tuesday, September 13. The Eagles will take on the Crown College Polars at 4:00pm followed by a primetime match against the No. 17 nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus Gusties at 7:00pm.